Vowels filed for re-election to the commission, where he has overseen the finance and parks committees.

Vowels is one of five candidates for the four spots on the commission, to which he was elected in 2002. Elections are non-partisan and are held every two years, with the mayor elected to a 4-year term.

In 2008, Vowels lost by one vote in his bid to be one of the four members of the commission, but he declined to ask for a recount, despite the fact that there was a problem with voters outside the city casting ballots in the race. Longtime commissioner Dottie Shelburne, who had won the final seat by that margin, later resigned to allow Vowels to continue.

Vowels, 44, a skilled trade supervisor for UPS, has undergraduate degree in marketing and finance from Sullivan University and two master’s degrees from Indiana University – an MBA and in strategic finance – and he said he wants to use that training and his business background to help the city.

He said he wants “to maintain the financial viability of the city’s general, sewer and parks department’s budgets within the revenue stream available, maximizing the potential in every aspect.”

During the past year the commission dismantled the city’s sewer commission and absorbed oversight, and Vowels accepted responsibility for coordinating and presenting the commission’s budget along with the city’s. Both showed relatively moderate growth for 2012-13.

He also oversaw the search and hiring of the city’s first full-time parks director. Chris Truelock joined the city staff earlier this year and has been aggressive in adding athletic and entertainment opportunities for residents.

Vowels, who lives in the Rolling Ridge development, is married and has a son and a daughter.